The Skinny Chick's Cookbook

  This recipe is super easy and only requires 3 ingredients! (All raw!) For those of you who love ice cream, mango honey sorbet is a great healthy, delicious substitute. (If you’re a vegan, feel free to substitute agave nectar or pure maple syrup for the honey.) For this recipe, it’s best to use an ice cream maker. If you don’t have one, and you’re serious about healthy living yet can’t imagine ever giving up ice cream altogether, then I’d definitely recommend investing in one. You can also use frozen mango chunks if you don’t have an ice cream maker. Just be sure to blend the honey and milk together before adding the frozen mango, otherwise the honey will freeze and clump together. I recommend freezing the mango yourself instead of using a store-bought bag of frozen mango chunks – it always seems to taste fresher and sweeter! Raw Mango Honey Sorbet - Only 3 Ingredients! Ingredients 2 sliced mangoes, skinned and pitted (or 2 cups frozen mango chunks) 1 cup coconut milk 2 ...

  This veggie zucchini lasagna recipe is so good you won’t even miss the meat or the pasta! And it’s much healthier than regular lasagna because it’s pasta-free (lower carbs!), and includes fat-free ricotta cheese and part-skim mozzarella cheese. Great for vegetarians or those on a gluten-free diet. I like to add fresh diced tomatoes to my sauce, but you’re also welcome to use canned diced tomatoes. To diced your own tomatoes, just steam them in a covered pot with 1 cup hot water for about 3 minutes until skin has split and a ring has formed around the top of the tomatoes, then peel skin, slice in half, discard seeds and chop into chunks. I recommend using a mandoline slicer to slice the zucchini. It’s much easier to thinly slice than using a knife. Zucchini Lasagna Ingredients 1 cup tomato sauce 1 cup diced tomatoes 2 zucchinis 3 tbsp white onion, diced 1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese 1 cup spinach leaves 1 egg 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese ½ tsp olive oil, fo...

  These zucchini pizza boats are the perfect light, healthy meal, and they only require 6 ingredients to make! It’s hard sometimes to come up with recipes that don’t include heavy grains, so I love recipes like this where you can substitute a vegetable for bread or pasta.  (I also love making recipes with heirloom tomatoes this time of year… so many beautiful fall colors! ) For best results, make sure to salt the zucchini prior to roasting, and blot the excess moisture. Salt helps bring the liquid out of the zucchini so it doesn’t end up mushy after you cook it. I tend to use spinach leaves instead of basil because I prefer the taste, but you can use either. Zucchini Pizza Boats Ingredients 2 medium-sized zucchini ½ cup marinara sauce 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese or non-dairy mozzarella 2 tbsp red onion, sliced 8 cherry tomatoes or mini heirloom tomatoes, sliced 2 tbsp basil or spinach leaves, chopped Sea salt and pepper, to taste Instructions...

  Being born and raised in Boston, I hated the winters growing up. But ever since moving to California, I find myself more and more missing something I never thought I’d miss… snow! Every year, I make it a habit to plan a winter trip. Sometimes I go back home for Thanksgiving or Christmas, other times I rent a cabin in Big Bear for the weekend. I always make sure to reserve a cabin with a fireplace, because there’s nothing I love more than curling up in front of the fire with a blanket, a book, and a warm drink. After toying around with many spiked cocoas, hot toddys and ciders, this fireball apple cider is definitely my winter drink of choice. I made it for the first time last Thanksgiving, as my family and I were hanging around the fire in Cape Cod, and the warm apple cinnamon flavor was the perfect way to end the day. (And don’t worry ladies – it doesn’t taste anything like whiskey!) Fireball Apple Cider Ingredients 1 cup apple cider ¼ cup Fireball cinnamon w...

  Tis the season for homemade soup! Whenever I come down with a cold in the winter, all I want is a big bowl of homemade minestrone soup. This minestrone is packed with hearty vegetables, kidney beans, and a few scoops of shell pasta. I try to avoid any type of store-bought soup or canned soup because they tend to be very high in sodium. I use low-sodium vegetable broth for this recipe, and I even add a little bit of water so it isn’t too salty. Those on a gluten-free diet are welcome to use brown rice shell pasta in place of regular pasta. Homemade Minestrone Soup Ingredients 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth ½ cup tomato sauce 1 cup cooked whole grain shell pasta ¼ cup white onion, diced ½ cup carrots, sliced ½ cup celery, sliced ½ cup zucchini, chopped ½ cup diced tomato 1 cup kidney beans, rinsed ½ cup spinach leaves, chopped ½ cup water Sea salt, pepper and basil, to taste 1-2 tsp olive oil, for grilling Instructions In a medium pot, cook shell pasta in boiling water until sof...

  Now that cranberries are in season, there’s nothing that makes me feel more festive than a hot spiced cranberry mulled wine cider. Up until recently, I didn’t know what mulled wine was, so if you’re wondering, it’s a warm drink made with red wine and spices, and is traditional around the holidays. Being a Boston native turned LA transplant, I never thought I’d miss the cold weather. But now when the holidays roll around, I find myself wanting to snuggle up by the fireplace with a warm cocktail. So this past Thanksgiving, my friends and I rented a cozy cabin in Big Bear Mountain and enjoyed lots of spiked hot cocoa and cider by the fire! (And the hot tub!) I also made a giant pan of this for my family holiday party, and it was a hit! The cider is delicious on its own, so if you’d like a non-alcoholic version, you can eliminate the red wine and make a spiced cranberry cider. Speaking of spices, you’ll also want to grab a bottle of Allspice for this. I learned wh...

  I just got back from my annual trip to Cape Cod. Every summer I rent a cottage on a lake and invite my friends and family over for a cookout, and I always pick one cocktail recipe to try out at the cookout. This year, my yummy drink of choice was a frozen orange creamsicle cocktail. I blended Pinnacle whipped cream vodka, vanilla almond milk and fresh squeezed orange juice together with a handful of ice, topped it with a dash of whipped cream, and it was delicious! If you’re vegan, feel free to use coconut whipped cream for the topping. (Pinnacle also makes a flavor now called Orange Whipped, so you can use that one too!) I had to post this recipe as soon as I got back from my trip, since we only have a few weeks of summer left! Hopefully some of you can make good use of this recipe before fall comes around. Frozen Orange Creamsicle Cocktail Ingredients ¾ cup orange juice ¼ cup vanilla almond milk 1 shot Pinnacle whipped cream vodka or orange whipped...

  This was the recipe that first introduced me to the healthiest, all-natural sugar substitute that is now one of my go-to ingredients: dates! Years ago, I had a membership to a gym that had a vegan cafe attached to it, which was where I had my very first vegan banana date shake. I couldn’t BELIEVE how tasty it was! Like magic to my taste buds. After perfecting the recipe at home, I decided this is by far is my favorite smoothie ever because: A) It is ridiculously delicious. B) It’s healthy, dairy free, and vegan-friendly. (Score!) C) There’s no added sugar. D) It’s super easy. (Only 4 ingredients!) Peanut Butter Banana Date Shake Ingredients ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 2-3 large medjool dates 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter ½ banana 5-6 ice cubes Instructions Soak the dates in a pan lined with an inch or two of hot water for 2-3 minutes until soft. Remove pits from dates, then combine dates, almond milk, banana and peanut butter in a blender. Blend until smo...

  Believe it or not, this was my first time eating pomegranate seeds. When I first tried them, I didn’t like them by themselves, but I loved them combined with this pudding. This coconut chia pudding is  so delicious , especially topped with dark chocolate chunks, coconut shreds and pomegranate seeds. I made myself a little bowl to snack on for a healthy dessert, and assembled the rest into several little mason jars to bring to work for breakfast that week. I ate all the mason jars in one sitting. I’m not allowed to make this ahead of time anymore. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fantastic breakfast recipe if you’re meal prepping for the week. As long as you have enough willpower for it to remain in the fridge that long. But, if you’re like me… you may want to make it that morning instead.  I also used Trader Joe’s bottled coconut milk for this instead of full-fat canned coconut milk. It’s still dairy-free but contains less calories. Coconut Chia Pudding with Chocolate & P...

  I receive a lot of emails from readers requesting meal prep recipes that they can bring to work.  I find this loaded egg burrito recipe to be one of the best on-the-go breakfast solutions. They’re quick to make, easy to wrap, and you can make a large quantity if you’re meal prepping for the week. I love to add hot sauce and pico de gallo (Huevos Rancheros style), but of course, feel free to use ketchup or any other topping of choice. Loaded Egg Burritos Ingredients 1 whole wheat tortilla or gluten-free tortilla 2 eggs ¼ cup shredded potatoes or hash browns 1 tbsp white onion, diced 1 tbsp green bell pepper, diced 1 tbsp tomato, diced 2 tbsp part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese 1 tbsp spinach leaves, chopped 1 tsp olive oil, for grilling Sea salt and pepper, to taste Optional: pico de gallo or hot sauce, for topping Instructions Line a large skillet with 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat. Add sea salt, onions, bell peppers and potatoes and cook until potatoes are gol...